Brick Police Warn Residents About JCP&L Phone Scam

Telelphone (File Photo)

Brick residents have been targeted in the latest round of scammers pretending to be representatives of the local electric utility.

Recently the department has received several reports involving local businesses and residents who have been victimized by a phone scam in which residents can be tricked by someone posing as an associate of Jersey Central Power and Light company.

According to Sgt. Neal Pedersen, potential victims receive a call at their place of business or home and the caller will identify themselves as a bill collector for JCP&L. The caller then tells the person on the line that their account is past due, and if they do not make an immediate payment, the power will be turned off.  

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“The caller goes on to tell you that the only form of payment they accept is a ‘Green Dot Money Cards,'” said Pedersen.

If the victim purchases the cards and gives the information requested, the scammers will receive the money. The Green Dot Money Card numbers are difficult to trace to the suspect, Pedersen said.

If you do receive one of these calls or if you have a question regarding your JCP&L account you can contact them directly, Pedersen said. The utility has set up a website to inform residents about scammers.